Blue As Your Blood
by Jules1993
Summary: Aria and her friends are dangerously close to discovering A's identity. Yet the stakes are higher this year, reminding them that A no longer plays with dolls. One of the girls' loved one pays the ultimate price.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

Aria couldn't help but sneak a glance at her Ezra, sitting on the couch with his legs propped up on the coffee table. His nose twitched occasionally as his head lay immersed in a copy of Crime and Punishment. Occasionally he would draw out his pencil that lay tucked in his ear and highlight certain areas of text.

Wilco was playing in the background, setting the mood to a perfect notch. The soft guitar strings and the vocalist's folk-like voice created a warm , down to earth ambience- the kind that only Ezra's flat could provide. Occasionally, Ezra would mouth a few words to himself, moving his head along with the Indie beat. After a few pages, he would reach over for his bottled beer and take a sip. He then had the habit of glancing at her as if he wanted to ensure she was happy and safe. Satisfied, he would flash her a cheeky smile, and then return to his novel.

An hour or two could go by easily, without any of them stirring up a conversation. Words were not needed in their relationship. Aria couldn't stop herself from smiling. It was simple. Yes, they had their ups and downs, and countless obstacles lay in their paths before they could finally reach a steady calmness in their relationship. After having shattered through the barriers of Jackie, A, and her parents, her and Ezra did no longer have to look over their shoulders constantly. It had not been an easy battle.

It took months for Ella to come to terms with their relationship. Yet Aria had noticed gradual change in her mother's attitude. Ella became more lenient- more herself around Ezra. She didn't quiz her daughter anymore about her whereabouts and her planned agendas. Silence between them indicated that her mother knew she was heading to Ezra's. And Ella acknowledged that fact. She had come to accept that Ezra was not a phase. He was a permanent, stable figure in her life. Her father was another matter altogether. Aria suspected that he would never come around. The silences were shattering when they all sat down together for dinner. Byron would avoid looking at her, as if she was not worthy of his gaze. It pained Aria greatly to know that keeping Ezra would cost her father's relationship. Everyday she told herself that things would change, that her father would eventually realize she loved Ezra with all her heart.

Aria couldn't let Ezra go. The thought of him gone send shivers down her spine and a hollow emptiness surrounded her. The tears would creep in, threatening to spill at the thought of Ezra disappearing from her life. In a sense, Ezra was her life. Her favorite pastime involved observing his quirky habits, his sense of style and grace, his casualness and intelligence. He was a man in every shape.

Bringing herself back to the present, Aria felt a smile forming on her lips as Ezra's head still remained buried in the novel.

"And this will be your fourth read? I know you are making Dostoevsky proud, but maybe you should think about hitting a pause on his brilliance." Aria teased. Suddenly, a naughty idea flashed through her mind. Grinning, Aria began walking slowly toward him, unbuttoning her shirt in the process. She could make out Ezra's wolfish grin peak out from the pages of his novel.

"Hmm perhaps so, but Dostoevsky is trying to tell me something. I'm close to cracking the code. I can't just abandon him in his hour of need." Ezra said in mock horror. "Maybe I can change your mind." As soon as she spoke those words, Ezra's head jerked to the left. His eyes widened, and then within a second he snapped his book shut. He let out a whistle as his eyes trailed over her figure. He smiled like a true champion.

"I figured Dostoevsky was doing your head in." Aria shrugged playfully.

"Come here." Ezra growled as he reached for her. Entangled in his arms, she let him twist her around in a swirl and then gently lay her on the couch. His forehead rested on hers. He gazed at her with such fierce intensity that a rush of butterflies danced in her stomach. Giddy, she looked up, her heart racing as the musky smell of his cologne overwhelmed her ability to think. His name was at the tip of her lips as she reached over and kissed him, sending shivers of pleasure down her spine. The warmth of Ezra's touch flooded her, sending her into a state of bliss.

The phone rang shrilly, drawing them away from a world where they were untouched. Wrapped in his arms, Aria couldn't help but groan.

"No, that's probably Spencer, reminding me that I'm late." Ezra's lips trailed down her neck as Aria fumbled for her phone that rested on the coffee table in front of them. Giggling, she tried to push him away without much progress.

"Ezra stop" She laughed.

"Hmm something tells me you don't mean it" He murmured.

"Something tells me, I'm going to get into trouble if I don't answer the phone." Aria joked. Groaning, Ezra pulled himself up.

"Alright alright. Remember, I'm only doing this because I love you." Ezra teased as he straightened his shirt. He gazed at Aria again, his eyes lusting for her. Aria answered the phone, pausing to flash Ezra an adoring smile.

"Spence?"

"Aria, we're all here waiting for you. Please tell me you're close by at least." The silence on the other end confirmed Spencer's suspicion.

"Ok so you're at Ezra's then. Please, please, tell me you're at least thinking about walking out of the door in the next five minutes."

"Yeah I'm on my way now. Be there in ten." Aria hung up with an apologetic grin.

"You have to go." Ezra confirmed.

"It will be a miss-and blink situation. You won't even realize I'm gone before I'm back again." Aria said.

She knew Spencer had come up with an important plan to bring them closer to identifying the new A. They were all to meet at her place and get drilled on the plan and their assigned tasks. A nervousness engulfed her at that precise moment, and Aria dropped her smile. Something didn't feel quite right. Aria couldn't put her finger to it, but one fact she was sure of. With every cell in her body, Aria knew that this new A didn't play with dolls. Having stated that very clearly, they had to be cautious. Messing with A last year had carried a sense of disaster for the girls. Yet now, meddling with A's affairs could cost them something much more chilling- to the extent that it became an unspeakable territory.

For the first time in Aria's life, she was truly afraid. Fear invaded her body, allowing it's cousin, paranoia to stalk her. At times she would jump at the slightest slam of a door. One factor she was sure of. No one could know, especially not her family or Ezra, that A had returned. Protecting the ones she loved was the only strength Aria had left in her.

"Are you ok?" Ezra's words dragged her back to reality and Aria fixed a quick smile on her face.

"Sorry. I think i've got a headache coming." The lie slipped easily off her tongue. If Spencer's plan worked, they would all be safe at last. More importantly, they would be free. Free to wonder around the streets after dark without a shadow lurking behind them. Free to not feel trapped in their homes. Free to be safe at school, the one place that was guaranteed to them before A surfaced in their lives.

"I'll see you very soon." Aria smiled as she leaned over and kissed him. Ezra returned the kiss warmly, pressing his body close to her. She inhaled his scent again, making her hungry for more. Controlling her desire, Aria pulled away. She tapped his nose playfully and walked out.

* * *

Ezra's POV

As Ezra made his way to the window sill to swap a record, something caught the corner of his eye. He held a Beatles record in his hand as his eyes honed in on a dark figure standing across the street, facing his window. The figure was covered in black clothes with a black hood pulled over it's face, sheltering it's identity. At first, Ezra thought nothing of it. There was nothing wrong with standing on the pavement. But it was when the figure pulled out a camera and angled it toward his direction, that chills started to grip him.

Perhaps the stranger was taking in the architecture of the apartment? No that wasn't possible. The block of apartments that he lived in were not extragavent. Grafitti over the walls seemed to enforce that fact. Could it be that the stranger had noticed a funny sight above his floor, and was simply eager to record it? Somehow that idea seemed unlikely.

Summing up the courage, Ezra leaned over and heaved at the window. With a creak, the window eventually gave in, and a fresh breeze streamed in. Ezra jammed his head out, inspecting the stranger more closely. The figure was gripping a digital camera with black leather gloves, snapping photos furiously. The stranger was burly built, perhaps six foot tall, with a lean stance.

"Hey you!" Ezra cried out. The person ignored him and continued on. "Excuse me, do you mind taking photos elsewhere? Not much goes on around here" Ezra called out. Yet again, no response.

Ezra suddenly shivered as the cool air blasted into his apartment. The stranger was either deaf, or choosing to ignore him. Deciding to confront the stranger, Exra pulled back into the room. Not bothering with his shoes, he hurried out of the flat and raced down the stairs. As he flung open the front door of the building, Ezra stopped dead in his tracks. The figure had vanished. No traces of the stranger's presence lingered on the empty street. It was getting dark now as the sky dimmed and the sun settled beneath the thick clouds. The street lamps were switched on, casting long shadows beyond the street. A dog barked in the distance as a wisp of wind engulfed Ezra, chilling him yet again. His eyes searched for any sign of life on the street. There was none. It was almost as if he had imagined this sinister encounter. Disturbed, Ezra made his way back to the apartment.

Something did not feel quiet right. It had started a couple of days ago. He was buying his usual supplementary food at the grocery store when he felt a pair of eyes glaring behind his back. Turning around, Ezra was greeted with customers waiting impatiently for him to unload his basket of food. Muttering an apology, Ezra quickly payed for his items and left the store. As he walked to his cars, the feeling of being watched surfaced again. He stood around the car park, searching for something-someone. He didn't know. Shaking off his disillusions, Ezra climbed into his car and thought no more of it.

That was until last night, he felt the same pair of eyes again. As he sat at his usual table in Bel Ami coffee shop, reading a chapter of Dostoevsky's Crime and Punishment, the eyes appeared again. Nerved, Ezra glanced from his copy to look out of the window. The street was empty. Only a few customers remained in the coffee shop as he realized it was near closing time. As Ezra payed for the bill, he felt them again. The eyes, honing in on his features. Thinking it was his tiredness kicking in, Ezra dismissed the absurd assumptions and walked back home.

And now this encounter. Ezra didn't know what to make of it. Was someone following him? If yes, why? The question hung in the air, unanswered. Shivering again, Ezra placed the set of fearful thoughts at the back of his mind and lost himself in his novel again. Every so often, Ezra had to stop again to look out of the window for that dark figure.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Ok Spence, what's the plan?" The words rushed out of Aria's mouth as soon as she plopped down on her friend's bed, kicking off her heels in the process. Looking at each of the girls separately, she noticed a worried expression etched on their faces.

"Spencer is trying to use Caleb again. You know what happens when we let others mess with A. Should I remind you what happened to Toby?" Hannah spoke fiercely, as she paced backwards and forwards in the room. Her eyes portrayed a fleeing deer, on the verge of being hunted.

"We're not putting anyone in danger here. All we're asking is for Caleb to hack into Melissa's phone. End of story." Spencer said firmly Although she didn't look entirely sure either, as she chewed on her nails, a weary expression crossed her friend's face.

"Wow, hold on a second, what's this with Melissa?" Aria frowned. She thought they had passed the phase of blaming Spencer's sister of being A after Mona had been locked up in the mental institution. Could it be that Melissa was the second A, the more vicious attacker? The thought made her shiver, and she instantly wrapped her arms around herself, as if it shield her from an imminent danger.

"There are a lot of things I don't understand anymore. That I don't want to believe. Melissa lied about having a miscarriage. She has been lying about her whereabouts for months now and I can't think of a single reason why. Caleb can help us with that." Spencer spoke again, her words taking on strength.

"That does make sense..." Aria said slowly.

"No, I am not letting Caleb be used for our businesses with A." Hanna snapped a little more aggressively. "Hannah I know where you're coming from. And after what happened with Maya, I know that feeling of dread that is constantly there. The slightest possibility of the people we love get hurt by A is unimaginable.

But we have some kind of plan here. It's not putting Caleb's life at risk, I don't think." Emily spoke for the first time, her words carrying a sadness to them that Aria knew haunted her day and night.

Emily had become increasingly detached, her eyes empty as she stared at spaces that could not refill her shattered heart. Maya had been her first love and she had been cruelly stripped away from her, murdered without justice. Garett was on trial for her murder, yet Aria sensed that the situation was more complex. Garett seemed less likely to be the culprit now that A had surfaced again, more vicious and hell-bent on destroying them than ever.

"That's just it Emms. Think doesn't give a solid answer. We can't be sure of anything anymore." Hanna said quietly. Silence ensued. Aria traced her friend's expressions. Hurt. Anger. Fear. Frustration. They were all sick of the cat and mouse game. They wanted their lives back. Being harassed and attacked by A was not a life Aria had envisioned for herself. When would they be free from a nightmare that never seemed to end? As if reading her thoughts, Hanna made her decision.

"Alright. If it means getting closer to identifying A, then yes, I'll ask Caleb to do it." It was as if a breeze had fluttered in the room, filtering out the poisonous air that had plagued them. The girls looked at one another, hope and a tingle of determination filling their eyes again.

* * *

Ezra's POV

As Ezra concentrated on the road ahead, his mind slipped to Aria. He had meant to cook her dinner tonight as a surprise. He bought the whole ordeal: homemade cranberry juice that you could only get at Bel Ami , chocolate covered strawberries, and lemon scented candles. He knew it bordered on cliche, but if it placed a smile on her face, he would even throw in a Spanish guitar, not that he knew how to play. He planned to give her a ticket to a Peter Paul Rubens exhibition, knowing that although she insisted on modern art, her heart belonged to the Renaissance period. She would mutter that it was no Picasso, but secretly Aria would sneak in a grateful smile, lighting her forest green eyes with golden flecks.

There it was, a sole image of Aria brought his stomach into a web of knots, and his heart quickened like a schoolboy. The giddiness unquestionably followed afterwards, stirring him a cocktail of sereness that only Aria could provide. The smile escaped easily from his lips. Only a thought of Aria. That was all it took for him to float into the realms of an untouched world, void of pain, conflict and anger.

At that precise moment, an unexpected coldness rushed in, paralyzing him. Instinct grabbing him, Ezra glanced at the rear mirror and spotted a black SUV on his tail. Finding it odd that the SUV was rapidly closing the gap between them, Ezra pressed harder on the gas paddle. The car behind him kept its pace. He jerked to the street on the left and the car followed in pursuit. Heart pounding in his chest, Ezra decided to stir away from his usual home route and take the SUV on a spin. As he took a first right, the SUV sped forward, an inch away from bumping into his tail lights.

Who was following him? _And more specifically, why? _The questions chilled him, draining his ability to concentrate on losing his stalker. Has the situation become this serious? His hands tightened on the wheel, numbing his knuckles. The dark figure from last night must be connected in some way. Whatever it was, one fact Ezra was sure of. This person was intent on terrorizing him. The feeling of being watched lately could not have been a figment of his overly active imagination. Ezra jerked the car to another left, and the SUV skidded, scrambling to close the gap.

Spotting a red light, Ezra didn't think. Foot pressed desperately on the gas peddle, his Citron sped through, causing a number of cars across the road to slam their horns down. Hastily, Ezra took a right turn, and then another left, passing by the Bel Ami cafe.

He glanced nervously at the mirror yet the SUV was nowhere in sight. Relief flooded him but he didn't slow down. Instead, for extra measure, he took another couple of left and rights until he arrived to his flat. What exactly does this sick bastard know about them? Aria entered his mind. If the dark figure was the one pursuing him, then the impostor knew where he lived. It wasn't safe for Aria to come tonight. Ezra wasn't sure if it was even safe for him, but as long as the locks were bolted on his door, then the intruder would not enter.

He couldn't stop his hands shaking as he fumbled for his phone and quick dialed Aria's number. Ezra took a deep breath in, and ran his hand over his hair, tussling it. He didn't want to worry Aria. For a seventeen year old, Aria had plenty of problems to sift through. He had no intention of adding a possible stalker to the equation. No, his worries did not concern her. Only her safety did.

"Hellooo" Aria answered cheerfully.

"Hey Aria, I seem to have caught a migraine. Can we move dinner to another night? My head is really doing me in." The words rushed out, barely giving Ezra time to spare a breath. He could sense Aria was taken back. _So much for acting normal, _Ezra told himself sarcastically.

"Oh no, that sucks. I'd be happy to come over anyways and give you a head rub. I could even make some tea to ease off the pain." Aria suggested, worry hanging subtly on the edges of her words. "Mint tea is good for headaches." Aria added hopefully.

Ezra knew she was scratching to come over and check up on him. He loved her for her thoughtfulness. He wanted nothing more than to let her, yet reality sank in, sending the hair at the back of his neck to stand up. He had to keep Aria away from his apartment until he could figure out who was following him. Ezra needed evidence that this was the case so that he could file a report at the police station. He was in a current unpromising situation that paved its way to an empty road.

Ezra tried his best to sound convincing. "I'll be fine Aria. I just need some sleep. I love you."

"I Love you too." Aria responded without hesitation, her voice quieting. The phone line disconnected. Aria was intuitive. She could sense when something was amiss. It was one of the qualities he most admired about her. She could pick up certain pieces, bring them together, and draw out conclusions that almost always were on the bull's target. Guilt began to set in. It was his first lie to Aria. But lies were sometimes necessary to keep the ones you love safe. Ezra was just starting to learn that.

* * *

Aria's POV

"That was strange" Aria said quietly, her mind racing with thoughts, as she disconnected the line with Ezra. She could sense that Ezra was in some kind of distress, yet she couldn't quite grasp what it exactly was. Her stomach was twitching, her heart whispering that something was amiss. Almost immediately, her logic dismissed this worry, labeling it as irrational. Ezra had a migraine. That was all there was to it. Didn't he say he was tired? Settled, but not completely reassured, Aria shifted her attention to her friends.

"Sorry I just got off the phone with Ezra, he isn't feeling well. What did Caleb find?" Aria directed the question urgently. The girls sat stunned in a circle on the floor. Spencer's face was pale, disbelief engraved in her eyes.

"It can't be." Spencer muttered. Hanna was frowning, her eyes darting their way around the news that had just been delivered.

Emily looked worn out, her shoulders slouched together. "Clearly, we can't trust anyone." She said sarcastically.

"Guys, what is it?" Aria's question hung in the air for a few silent seconds, excitement and dread stirring in her heart.

And then suddenly Spencer sprang to her feet. "Melissa never ended things with Wren."

'Wren...you mean the Australian Doctor that's on Mona's case?"

"How many Wren's are there?" Spencer snapped. As Aria arched her eyebrow, her friend struggled to compose herself.

"Sorry about that. I just can't believe that Melissa has been lying to me, to my parents, to _everyone, _about Wren. What possible explanation is there? We thought Ian and Garrett were the possible father's for the baby. But now, Wren?" Spencer's voice shook with disbelief as her eyes bore into an invisible spot on the wall. "There must be something going on here. Haven't you guys noticed how Wren always appears conveniently at the right moments?"

"What do you mean?" Hanna asked.

"For starters, in Rosewood Memorial he always ends up getting "assigned" to one of us. He treated you and Emms, even Toby. The hospital places him at an advantage." Spencer said slowly, her mind buzzing with theories. Aria's eyes widened in comprehension. Catching on, she said, "Wren could have easily slipped into the Morgue and taken page 5 of Allison's autopsy report. He had access to all grounds on the hospital, didn't he?".

"He could have accessed HGH and injected it into the pain cream I used." Emily said quietly, as the horror dawned on her. Her ulcer had been excruciatingly painful and to think that a Doctor had caused that to occur, chilled her to the bones."And the tube of pain cream in my hospital meal. Could that have been him too?" Emily suddenly felt sick and she had to take a deep breath in to compose herself. Aria looked on just as horrified. If Wren was the culprit behind all of A's games, then none of them were safe.

One question bothered her that she could not seem to answer. _Why? _What would his motive be, if there was any? She voiced her thoughts. "Maybe our imagination is running a little high here. We can't be sure of anything except the fact that he and Melissa are having a relationship. We should start from this angle and then see what kind of developments crop up."

"You're right. We need to make sense of this. I think we should spy on him!" Hanna chipped in, her voice trembling with excitement. Aria rolled her eyes. Her friend was a weakling for games. She loved a good challenge, and this set itself up as an ideal game.

"Only way to find out is to monitor his daily activities. How can we do that?" Spencer pursed her lips together, a sign that revealed she was immersed in brainstorming.

"We need some way to record everything he says. His conversations with Mona are a starting point." Emma offered. And then suddenly, an idea clicked into place for Aria. Mike had recently taken on a new obsession, Covert Affairs, a TV show geared toward depicting the CIA. He was never a talker, but during dinner time he would bring up random facts regarding the intelligence service, his tone taking on an exciting streak that was rare these days. Of course that was what they needed.

"We need a bugging device that we could slip into his pocket. After one of his regular check-ups with Mona we'll have to take it out again so he won't suspect anything. Turns out having a younger brother has it's privileges." Aria grinned.

Spencer clicked her fingers together. "Aria you're a genius."

"That's the best idea you've come up! Now we need a volunteer." As soon as Emma spoke, all three girls looked at Hanna. Her eyes widened in protest.

"Don't even think about it. You know how clumsy I get. I'd mess everything up."

"What are you on about? You love these kind of games. Plus you regularly visit Mona before her check ups with Wren. It only makes sense if it's you who plants the bug."

"Arghh" Hanna cried out in frustration. That was a Hanna way of agreeing. Aria grinned. "Alright then, let's find out what Wren and Melissa are up to."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Ok Hanna, ready?" Spencer spoke, flashing Aria and Emily a nervous glance. Her hand slightly shook and she balled it into a fist on the kitchen counter. It was a futile attempt at quelling nerves that harassed all three of them. Aria's own knees were shaking so badly she had to hold onto the cool marble counter. It helped slow her sweaty palms- but did nothing for her knees. Emily kept running her hand through her sleek brown hair. Her left foot tapped along to an unknown beat as her eyes were fixed ahead. Her athletic streak surfaced, as she was clearly weighing the odds of Hanna getting caught.

They could not get caught. _They could not get caught. _The words continuously ran through Aria's mind, blocking all else. Heart pounding in her chest, she was surprised her friends couldn't hear it. If things went downhill...no. She could not afford to think like that.

The three girls were huddled around Spencer's kitchen. Her laptop was plugged in with the bugging device that Hanna held in her purse at the mental ward. Their plan was for Hanna to accidentally bump into Wren whilst he was shifting from one round to the next and slip the device into his consultation coat.

"I'll never be ready." Hanna moaned down the line.

"You can do it." Spencer encouraged, adding, "Let's just hope purchasing bugging devices off amazon work. Otherwise not only will it be a rip off-"

"It will also mean that we're screwed. " Hanna finished. The girls couldn't help grinning.

"You gotta love Hanna" Emily smiled, yet she couldn't quite hide her nervousness.

"Here he comes" Hanna whispered. They all went quiet at once. They could hear Hanna bump into him. A few words were exchanged and apologies were uttered.

A few seconds later the blonde reported back to them. "I've always wanted to say this and at last I have the privilege. Mission accomplished." Hanna announced, quite chuffed with herself. The girls grinned at each other, relief flooding their eyes.

"I'm kind of getting excited now." Aria said. At last they were getting somewhere.

* * *

The girls underestimated the length of their task. A full hour and a half had passed since Hanna successfully bugged Wren. The girls sat around the kitchen counter, nibbling on the homemade biscuits Spencer had baked for them.

"Hey if it means getting bad ass cookies for every point we score with A, then I'm all in." Aria grinned as the soft peanut flavored dough crumbled in her mouth.

"Mmm I know what you mean." Emily chewed extra loudly, knowing full well that Hanna could hear their conversation.

"Not fair!" She protested and the girls laughed.

"We're saving you a whole plate Hanna, don't worry" Spencer teased.

At that precise moment, the girls froze as they heard Wren greet Mona._"Good morning Ms. Vanderwaal." _Biscuit still crammed in Spencer's mouth, she frantically motioned for the computer and the girls rushed to the screen. She signaled at them to keep quiet as she plugged in an ear phone and passed the other to Aria for her to share with Emily. Hanna sensed the moment had come, as she too, was silent on the other end.

"_Good evening Doctor __Shepherd.__ Haha get it? You act like Mcdreamy from Greys Anatomy. Such a charmer! Hmm, but I suppose you don't watch that show... I think we can now cut with the crap Wren." _Mona spoke viciously, the words digging into the girls' ears. Aria's eyes widened. They were on a first-name basis. Not only was it unprofessional, but it also was inappropriate.

"_Now, now, you can't expect me to fill you in if you can't watch your manners." _Wren brawled in his heavy Aussie accent, chuckling as if he found the whole situation amusing. They could hear Mona sigh.

"_Fine." _Mona said, a little more softly. "_I want to know what the next step is." _

"_We're working on it. Ever heard the phrase, patience is a virtue?" _Wren said coldly. No longer was he finding the situation amusing. The girls looked at one another again, eyes racing with a thousand questions. Where was this conversation leading to?

"_Please, I'm cut off from everyone. It drives me crazy just to know bits and pieces. I want the wider picture." _Mona's voice was becoming increasingly fragile, as if she was tiptoeing on ice, waiting for it to crack and swallow her into a dark abyss.

"_Maybe if you got your shit together, you wouldn't be locked up in a mental ward. Do you know how long it took for us to clean up your mess and turn you into a nutter?" _Wren spat out nastily. Aria could see that Spencer was stunned. Her friend had never recognized this mean streak in the Australian. She had always spoke of him highly, her eyes warming to the sound of his name. Aria knew she wasn't taking all of this lightly. Even though Toby dominated Spencer's heart now, chemistry still lingered between her and the Aussie. You couldn't burn out history with a man and dispose of its ashes. Wren had clearly marked Spencer in a profound way. Although her friend never shared that with them, Aria wasn't blind.

"_I know, I know." _Mona's voice was shrinking, they could barely hear her.

"_Well in recent developments, we're arranging for her to ship certain things that can be found in Allison's coffin to each of the girls. The latest photos have been developed... We've also managed to target one of their toyboys. Shouldn't be long now before all goes according to plan." _As soon as Wren spoke, a deadly silence cut into the room. It was as if an icy breeze had crept in, wrapping them in a bone-cold chill. Spencer's mouth was wide open as all their fears were answered. A wasn't solely one person. A was an entire team of culprits, joined at the hip to torture them. Emily was close to tears. This time she didn't bother to hide her vulnerability. Spencer stared into the distance, a forlorn, pained expression on her face. Aria knew Hanna was dying to be a part of this discovery, but at that precise moment she couldn't find her voice. It was lost to her, somewhere in the shock and despair that had invaded her mind. Her tongue felt stone heavy. It simply wouldn't cooperate.

"_How's Melissa taking it?" Mona asked feebly. _

"_She doesn't know about the latter. I'd like to keep it that way. It won't do us any good." Wren spoke defiantly, his note taking on a finality. "I don't have much time to go into this in detail. But I think I'm going to take matters into my own hand."_

"_Have you decided which one of the girls?" Mona asked feebly. _

"_Well I find her the most intriguing. After all, she is the one who's been least __targeted__ by us. I'm going to change that_." They could hear Wren chuckle sadistically as he was clearly enjoying whatever horrific plan he was conjuring up. "_Alright then, my rounds are finished now. Drink up your pills. " _Wren added, smirking.

A couple of seconds later they could hear the door slamming, indicating their brief encounter had finished. Hanna was immediately down on the other line, demanding that she be informed.

"I need a moment to take this in." Aria muttered dazed. Without a word, she walked out of Spencer's backdoor, letting the fresh air hit her.

_Why? _How could Wren and Allison be connected? They knew she was into older men. But every arrow pointed toward Ian serving as her love interest. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong. Ian. Garrett. Melissa. Wren. Mona. They were all connected, but how?

Aria's mind spun with conspiracy theories and fear began to seep in. What kind of plan were they stirring up? Which one of them were they targeting? The questions were endless, heightening a sense of impending doom that threatened to break her. The wall she had so carefully groomed around her sanity was cracking. For the first time in years, Aria's grip on her emotions slipped through the cracks of her knuckles. She had become the one thing she had fought to avoid: vulnerable prey. Sick to her stomach, Aria's legs gave away as she collapsed on Spencer's front door step. Because she knew and she wasn't stupid. They had chosen her as their next target. And there was nothing Aria could do to stop them.

* * *

Ezra's POV

Ezra could hear footsteps shuffling to his door. Paranoia set in. _Was the intruder coming for him?_ Fear began to grip him, and his eyes darted around the room, calculating what objects he could use as a weapon to deter the being.

"Ezra let me in. I forgot my keys. " The sound of Aria's voice at the other end of the door calmed his heart at once. Instead, dread kicked in. It was not safe for her to show up at his door. He had to establish that in a discreet way as soon as possible.

"Just a second" He called out cautiously. Ezra quickly switched the television off and tried his best to look sick. It was a sloppy attempt to cover up his previous lie. As Ezra opened the door, he was struck by Aria's pale complexion and baggy eyes as she rushed past him and curled up on his couch.

"Aria?" He hesitated in the doorway. Something was disturbing her. Her eyes gave her away. Panic and fear blended into a haunted expression that dominated her beautiful features. Instinctively, a strong desire gripped him to reach over and shield her.

"I've just had a horrible day." Aria sighed wearily. Her hair was in messy bun, and she had changed into jeans and a simple t-shirt. Aria only ever wore jeans when clothes were the least of her worries. Ezra made his way to the couch and sat next to her. He reached over for her hand and held it in his own, entwining their fingers together.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" He asked gently. His previous plans of stirring her away from his apartment immediately crumbled. All that concerned him now was to comfort her and place a smile on her worn out lips.

"Will you just hold me?" Aria asked quietly, her fearful child-like eyes locked on his. And so he did. Silent communication passed between them. Aria didn't bother to hide her distress. She never had to pretend with him. He held her in his arms as the seconds grinded to a halt, drawing them into a timeless reality. He kissed her at the top of her head and the scent of her familiar apple shampoo send shivers of delight down his spine. He ached to know what was bothering her. But patiently he waited, knowing that Aria would tell him when she was ready.

A few minutes later Aria slowly came to her senses.

"Ezra?"

"mmm?

"You never really had a migraine, did you?" Aria asked softly. Ezra pulled away from the dream-like moment. Reality set in again. He had a stalker that very likely knew where he lived. Aria was not safe here.

"I guess I'm feeling better."

"hmm, are you sure nothing's bothering you?" She asked.

"I'm fine. It's you that is clearly upset about something. A penny for your thoughts?"

Aria instantly pulled away from him, her eyes taking on a defense mode. "You first. Why did you feel the need to lie about canceling dinner?" She asked, her tone taking on an accusing streak.

"You're reading into this too much. The pages are blank." Ezra said simply. He wanted to quiet the tone in Aria's voice. She was clearly troubled and this was not a good time for a fight.

"I'm not stupid Ezra. You've cancelled dinner twice now. You say you have a raging fever yet you look perfectly fine to me." She said sharply.

The conversation was leading to dangerous territory. Aria couldn't know about his recent sinister encounters. No, it was better if she was kept in the dark. So Ezra did the only thing he could. He decided to drive the fight forward.

"I don't think it's fair of you to demand explanations that aren't present. You come in here, visibly upset, yet you don't want to talk about it? Who's the one hiding things here?"

Aria rose from the couch, anger boiling inside her. "You claimed that you couldn't make dinner tonight because you had a fever of 101.5 degrees and that you were going to bed. Instead, an open copy of Crime and Punishment and beer are on your table. And I suspect the telly was on too. Why did you lie?" She had him cornered. Frustration caved in, and he rubbed his forehead with his fingers. It was a feeble attempt to ease off the tension that clung in the air.

"What I was doing is none of your business. So stay out of it." He hadn't meant the words to come out like that. Now it defiantly looked like he was hiding something. Aria flinched as the words cut through her. "I never took you for a liar. When you decide that it is my business, we'll talk. For now, I'll just give you some space for you and your lies to hang out together. I don't have time for this." Aria said, her voice quivering with rage. Fuming with anger, she grabbed her bag off the floor and headed to the door. Ezra attempted to reach for her hand but she pulled away furiously.

"Don't" She snapped. The hurt was visible in her eyes. All he wanted to do was to brush it away and tell her the truth. But the words wouldn't come. They were stubbornly locked inside him, screaming in his trapped mind. Ezra let her go.

* * *

It was sometime past midnight when Ezra jolted awake. Disoriented, Ezra's eyes darted around the room for the culprit. And that was when he froze in place. A thick grey stone rested on the floor. His window had shattered in the impact, allowing an ice cold breeze to flutter into the room. The chills snaked their way to his half-naked torso, making him shiver violently. Someone had smashed a stone through his window.

_Why? _To terrorize him? Send him a message? His heart pounded in his chest loudly as adrenaline coursed through his veins. Ezra was careful not to step on the glass that covered his beige carpet. He slipped on his pair of sneakers and made his way to the stone. Cautiously he picked it up. And that was when horror dawned on him.

It was covered in blood. The metallic, salty smell triggered his nausea immediately. Ezra was not good with blood. The sight of it was enough to make him vomit. As moonlight illuminated the stone, one letter, dripping in blood, gleamed in the darkness. -A.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Aria's POV

Ezra was hiding something. _But what? _The question lingered in her mind, frustrating her. She couldn't probe through the thick barrier he had formed. Once Ezra's mind was set, he never budged. Jackie had sprung into her mind briefly. But then her cheeks would flush, ashamed that she could think of such a thought. She had never questioned Ezra's loyalty to her before. Aria loved and trusted him with her life. Perhaps Ezra had a difficult encounter with her father and he needed some time to himself. Yet she sensed that was not the case.

Aria had been restless lately. She hadn't spoken to Ezra in two days. Her anger had slowly abandoned her, and she grew worried. Why hadn't he called her to apologize? He always did after a fight. Her days would consist of staring at her phone, willing Ezra to call, yet she was too stubborn to call him herself. Her nights took on a brutal form as the recent discovery of Wren working with A plagued her nightmares. In her dreams, he would appear, clutching a bloody scalpel in his hand. He would slice her slowly, whilst speaking in a cheerful tone as if they were discussing the weather. Occasionally he'd hum along to a beat as she screamed and screamed but no one heard her. Aria would wake up, covered in a shower of sweat. Her thrashing battle with her nightmares caused her duvet to end up on the floor each night, making her shiver as she awoke traumatized.

"Aria?" Spencer's voice cut deep into her thoughts and she drew herself back into reality. All three of her friends were gazing at her, worry written on their faces.

Emily reached out and squeezed Aria's hand. "You ok?" She asked gently. Aria was sick of being treated with pity. She knew she wasn't dealing with their discovery as well her friends. Perhaps it was because at the core of her heart she knew A was targeting her next. Aria had been safe from A's torment for a proper six months now. And now her time had come to suffer. They were plotting something horrific and she was helpless to stop it. All she could do was brace herself and wait for the impact.

Aria yanked her hand away. "I'm fine." She answered firmly. Hanna exchanged a sympathetic look with her and Spencer smiled at her kindly.

"So we're going to stick with the plan then? We hand over the bugging device and Wren's recorded conversation with Mona to the police. And then what? We don't really know who else is involved." Aria said, sighing. They had gone over this plan repeatedly. They needed to be discreet about how they illegally bugged Wren, and they had to send the material anonymously. Each step was fatal. A had the photos of Emily standing over A's empty grave. That could easily be used as a weapon against them. Emily would be destroyed if the police got their hands on her.

"But I'm against sending the package to the police. Packages get lost. And when we're dealing with a situation as critical as this, A could easily find out what we're up to and get hold of our evidence. One of us needs to go to the police station and leave it on a bench. Then we send an anonymous tip over the phone and the police picks up the package." Spencer said. The plan wasn't their best. But it was their safest option.

"Ok. I'm in." Aria agreed. Hanna and Emily nodded along. "Good. Let's tick Wren off our equation." Spencer smirked.

* * *

Ezra's POV

Detective Breyer read over Ezra's report, sighing. "I'm afraid there is not much we can do for you Mr. Fitz. There was no DNA match for fingerprints on the stone. The blood we found belonged to a stray cat. 'A' could be anyone. A code for something, an initial... perhaps there is no meaning to this incident at all. A cruel prank could have been at play here."

"That cannot be a coincidence. Not after I-" Ezra hesitated.

"Please go on." Detective Breyer urged.

"Well, I'm almost one hundred percent sure I was followed the other day."

"When was this exactly?" Breyer jumped in, curiosity taking hold of him as he pulled his notebook and pen out.

"Four nights ago. It was a black SUV, I couldn't get a look at the guy's face. Something tells me he is the same person that threw that stone through my window."

"What makes you think it's a he?" Detective Breyer asked, frowning.

"For starters, the person had to have been in excellent physical condition to fling the stone with such strength. And the person that pursued me was an experienced driver. I don't know... I just have a feeling. I'm sort of stabbing at air here." Ezra muttered.

Breyer scribbled a few words down, eyebrows arched. "We'll try our best to id this person. In the meantime, we strongly recommend you tighten your home security. I think investing in a surveillance camera would have it's uses. If the person shows up again, it is very likely we'd have a bigger picture of who we're dealing with here. Until more evidence comes in, there is not much else we can do I'm afraid. Have you considered staying at a friend's house, perhaps a girlfriend or family...?" Detective Breyer said sympathetically. He both respected and admired Mr. Fitz's calmness and intelligence. Ordinarily, he received all kinds of frantic, out of control clients, demanding that he did his job, without realizing there was too little evidence to file a case. Mr. Fitz understood that there was barely any evidence they could work on. It certainly made him determined to dig deeper into these incidences.

"I figured that would be the case." Ezra said frustrated. Ezra was at a loss without having any kind of notion of identifying his stalker or coming up with a list of motives for his actions. _Who would want to harm him? _That question slipped into the late hours of the night, tormenting him as he tossed and turned in bed. It didn't make any sense.

Ezra thanked the detective and left his office. He took out his phone and dialed Aria's phone. His finger remained traced on the call button, hesitating. If he placed this on Aria's shoulders, she wouldn't let him out of his sight. Yet the situation was becoming serious. _She needs to know, _he decided. Hopefully, this would make her understand why he had lied about canceling dinner and they could resolve the tension that lingered between them for the last few days. Yet the phone went to voicemail. Sighing, Ezra vowed he would tell her in person.

* * *

It was getting dark by the time Ezra reached his flat. As he climbed out of his car the wind greeted him, carrying with it the green skin smell of leaves and pine. The thick Autumn air refreshed him as he crossed the deserted street. It was eerily quiet, except for the occasional whisper of the wind. The silver moon hung amongst a black clear sky, illuminating the street with ominous shadows.

As Ezra reached the entrance to his block, he noticed a man leaning against the wall lazily.

"Shoot. I forgot my keys to the entrance door. Normally my girlfriend would buzz me in but she's on a double shift now." The man chuckled, smiling at Ezra. He spoke in an unusual accent.

"You're not from around here, are you?" Ezra noted. "Hah, I'm that noticeable, aren't I? I'm from England mate." The man grinned. He offered his hand. "I'm Wren." He added.

"Ezra" He accepted the handshake firmly. Wren, Wren... that name sounded awfully familiar. And then it clicked. "Ah are you by any chance treating Mona Vanderwaal at the Radley Sanitarium?"

"Yeah, the one and only." Wren joked. "How did you id me?"

"Oh I came across an article a couple of weeks ago. It was briefly mentioned that you were assigned to her case. She was a former student of mine." Ezra lowered his eyes away from Wren's tight gaze. In a sense, he felt guilty for the poor girl. He had been her teacher once. It had been his responsibility to gear her toward a righteous path and offer her a handful of opportunities for a stable future. Through literature, he hoped his students would see the world from a new perspective and grasp the concept of what it meant to live. Mona had been a bright student. Although she dumbed herself down in class, he was well aware that it was a carefully cultivated facade. He was familiar with kids like that. They longed to belong, so they constructed artificial personalities to make their lives bearable. Because kids could be cruel. The slightest thing could set them off to prey on each other. At times, guilt gnawed at him because not once did it occur to him that Mona was a disturbed being with a personality disorder.

Ezra snapped out of it. "Sorry about that. Let me get the door," He offered quickly. He turned his back from Wren and slotted the key in. And that was his mistake.

Ezra didn't see him lurking from behind. He didn't see the syringe. All he felt was a prick at the nape of his neck. Coldness rushed through him as the world began to sway. He grabbed on to the side of the door. Wren was saying something but the words jumbled together incoherently. His legs gave away and he could feel himself falling. Blackness took him.

.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter five

Consciousness creeped toward him. Ezra cracked an eye open. Quickly he closed it again, escaping the harsh light that pierced into him. Something did not feel right. His mind was clouded and uncooperative. Instead, he turned to his body for orientation. A tightness clutched at his chest, restricting his ability to breathe.

He tried to raise his hand. Yet the gesture was not met. And that's when he realized he couldn't. His hands were tied tightly behind his back, fastening him to a chair. The rope dug cruelly into his wrists, numbing them. Another coil of rope snaked it's way across his chest, pinning him upright in the chair. His heart beat quickened as he fumbled against the knots. Panic sank into his bones, making him gulp for precious oxygen. The seconds ticked by as Ezra searched for his voice. The cry was stifled by something long and sticky placed over his lips. Duct tape. He began to thrash, hoping it would loosen the friction between his sore skin and rope. The ropes didn't budge. Fear wrapped its jaws around him, paralyzing his ability to think coherently. He attempted to make another sound. Again it was stifled.

Frustrated at the helplessness of it all, Ezra turned his attention back to his cloudy mind, hungry for answers. _Who brought him here? Why was he here? What was his captor going to do to him? _These questions spun in his mind, giving rise to the panic that he had battled to keep at bay. Ezra scrambled to remember. His last conversation with Detective Breyer was still fresh in his memory. He recalled heading to his car... and then blank. A gaping hole replaced a memory that was stored somewhere inside his mind. If he could only unlock that door, and fit the chess pieces together, he'd have some kind of sense of what had occurred. Yet no matter how hard he tried, he was met with a frustrated blank page.

A sheet of sweat rolled down his forehead and Ezra longed to brush it away. Yet a metallic saltiness clung to him, nauseating him. And that was when he realized it wasn't sweat. It was his own blood.

The effects of whatever had knocked him out was still rooted in his system. Dazed and disoriented, Ezra's eyes travelled across his prison. It was an empty room, with cracked walls and washed out paint. A worn-down sofa with holes stuffed with sponge rested against a single window, boarded up with plank. A bright fluorescent light bulb hung from the ceiling, beating down on his weary eyes.

The initial shock of his situation was rapidly becoming replaced with a painful headache, adding to his dizziness. Ezra suspected he was slightly concussed. Perhaps he had been hit from behind and his head had slammed into the floor. And then a chilling thought slipped into his mind, releasing a fresh wave of fear. His situation wasn't a coincidence. His abductor had carefully orchestrated this. His stalker had to be behind this.

Aria was the next person to spring into his mind. She was going to be devastated. If the roles were reversed... Ezra quickly locked the horrific thought away. No, it would drive him mad. Instead, he did the only thing he could. He lost himself in the shimmering lagoon of her steady, mountain green eyes. He recalled her ironic smile that primed and swelled the archery of her full lips, knowing full well that a lot of people mistook her pride with arrogance, and confused her confidence with impassivity and that he did not.

The door swung open suddenly, jerking Ezra back into reality. A man walked in, smirking. In that instance, he was overcome by the forgotten memories that pulsed through him. _A man named Wren, assigned to Mona's case. He forgot his keys. He turned to open the door for him and then... _Ezra's eyes widened in realization.

"Good. You're awake." Wren grinned. He plopped himself on the beaten down couch and crossed his legs. Ezra could do nothing. Only watch. "Now you are probably wondering why you're here in the first place. Hmm I'm not sure that you've earned an explanation yet." Wren paused, chuckling. "Let's just say you're my insurance policy." He began stroking his stubble thoughtfully, his eyes never leaving Ezra's. "It's a hopeless case really. I'll have to keep you here shorter than I expected. We need to find a location that is more accommodating." He grinned maliciously, adding, "You and I are going to have some fun Ezra. Just the two of us."

Ezra closed his eyes momentarily. His heart leaped to his mouth as the sinking realization hit him. No one knew where he was. It could be days before anyone properly looked for him. A missing report would be filed but as the police had already proven, they were a useless case. He wasn't stupid. He knew by the end of this, he might not survive.

* * *

Aria's POV

His number went to voicemail. _Again. _What was this? Her fifth call? Sighing, Aria hung up. After all it was Ezra who had called her. Her heart had initially skipped a beat when she identified his number on her phone log. Yet that excitement had slowly worn off, leaving a sense of bitterness behind. _Why wasn't he picking up? _Perhaps he was busy. Or perhaps he had changed his mind about speaking to her.

The second thought instantly pushed her into a sulky mood. Biting on her lip, Aria flung her phone onto her bed and let out an irritated cry. This was beyond ridiculous. They hadn't spoken in over three days. And all for what? An argument that seemed utterly pointless now. Aria missed him beyond words. Amidst the craziness of her life, Ezra was what held her at the seams. He was the only one she could let her guard down with. He was her whole world. Without him in it, she couldn't stay afloat. She'd drown in the murky waters.

"Aria" Her mother called from downstairs, dragging her away from her gloomy thoughts.

Aria decided to give Ezra one last ring. Hope swelled in her heart. She tapped her foot impatiently as it rang, four, five, six times. No answer. A sinking feeling sat in the bottom of her stomach. It wasn't like him to ignore her calls. No matter how serious their argument, he always phoned back. Frustration kicked in. He didn't want to talk to her. That was all their was to it. _Don't __over think__ it, _she told herself quietly.

"Aria! I need you for a sec sweetie" Ella called out again. Sighing, Aria left her room. As she rushed down the stairs she came to a silent agreement. She was going to go to Ezra's and apologize. Aria needed him now more than ever. A day without him was difficult. Three were unbearable.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

"Ok, you ready?" Spencer asked breathlessly.

Hanna nodded slowly. "Ready as I ever can be". She hesitated for a second, her big blue eyes taking on a fearful expression.

"Take a breather Han. It'll be fine. All you need to do is leave the package and go. Simple." Aria said encouragingly.

"If it's so easy peasy, why don't you do it?" Hanna snapped.

"Because, you're the only one who has a plausible explanation for being there. You're off to see agent Wilden to drop off your mother's message. Remember, dinner for two at Maisy's."

"Dinner for two at Maisy's." Hanna repeated cringing. "Not the best restaurant choice in town if you ask me." She said under her breath.

Emily smiled sympathetically. "You won't raise any suspicions. We've got your back" She added.

Aria reached over and squeezed Hanna's hand. "We love you to bits. This will work out, ok?" She knew how hard it was for Hanna to talk to that disgusting pig of a detective. But action needed to be taken. And her friend was the only one who could carry this through. Hanna smiled. It was a small smile, barely mustered, but Aria was grateful nonetheless. Wren was going down.

"I'm ready now." Hanna said. She straightened her back and Spencer handed her the package. The three girls watched as she walked into the police station.

"Is this actually happening? Can someone pinch me please? Maybe I'll wake up and realize this is a big fat deluded dream of mine." Spencer muttered.

"No this is very real, Spence." Aria couldn't help but grin. For the first time in days she was happy. They were taking back some control that A had stripped from them. A couple of minutes passed. A gust of wind fluttered by, chilling them silently to the bone. A heavy quiet rang in Aria's ears. She found herself drifting back to earlier events. Aria had rung Ezra in the morning. Again, there had been no answer. She had resolved to go to his apartment yet Spencer had called then, urging them to go forward with their plan immediately. Matters with Ezra had to wait another hour.

At that precise moment, Hanna appeared in the corner of her vision, striding out of the police station. Her pace was quick yet measured. It was the confident "the Hanna walk" that finally made Aria's shoulders sag in relief. "Oh thank God." She muttered, stealing a quick glance at her friends' reactions. Spencer was smiling wildly whilst Emily's eyes were glowing with anticipation.

Hanna approached them, smug with herself. "It's all been sorted out. The package was left as promised. Detective Wilden pigster didn't suspect a thing. He was quite chuffed with himself for having scored another date with my mother. Little does he know." Hanna snorted.

"Oh Han you're dangerous. Let's hope Ashley doesn't find out about this fake date." Aria chuckled.

"Easy enough. I just use my mum's phone later on and text a rejection. Can't be the first time that weirdo has been turned down." Hanna smiled.

"Ok guys, let's get serious for a second here. I'm going to make the anonymous phone call. I need you all to be quiet for a minute and cool off your rockers." Spencer said.

"Cool off your rockers? Ah Spencer, you and your expressions!" Hanna retorted, biting back the laughter that threatened to burst. Emily shot her an annoyed look. They all went quiet suddenly as Spencer dialed the police station's number from the pay phone. She tapped her foot nervously and toyed with a hair strand as she muttered, "here we go", under her breath.

"Hi, I'd like to report a very important package that has been delivered to the police station. It's located on the fifth waiting seat, to your left, right across from the main entrance." Spencer spoke clearly and slowly. She repeated the location of the package then hung up swiftly. She wore an incredulous expression on her face. " Let's go guys. It's been dealt with. They'll look it up."

Tears swam to Emily's eyes. "This is really happening isn't it? We're getting some kind of closure. Wren won't be able to hurt us anymore." Aria reached over and hugged her broken friend. "It's going to be fine" She said soothingly.

They were all going to be fine. And then as if directly contradicting her words, their phones beeped suddenly. A dreariness invaded Aria in that precise moment. She did not have to open her message to know who it was from. She looked at her friends fearfully. All were consumed in their message, horror dawning on their faces. Spencer placed a hand over her mouth. Hanna was struck with wild, unfeigned despair. Emily's tears blinded her ability to read the message further.

"It's never going to be over, is it? Not unless we're all buried underground." Emms said bitterly, gritting her teeth together. Aria's heart raced faster at her friend's words. Summing up her last strength, Aria looked at the message. A photo accompanied with a caption caught her weary eye. A black glove was gripping the package, that they had so carefully planted in the police station. The caption read: _Wrong move Bitches. My turn, Check mate- A_

* * *

Ezra's POV

The blow struck him in the face. He could feel his entire jaw shift with the impact, and he cried out underneath the gag.

Another unprovoked blow rained down on him. This time, Ezra lost his balance in the chair and felt himself toppling over. His head slammed on the floorboards beneath him and his tied hands strained behind the chair, the wood scraping his already bleeding wrists. Pain and dizziness blinded his ability to react and he squeezed his eyes shut as if it escape. Yet there was no escape. His hair was grabbed and his head yanked backwards, slamming into the floor again.

Ezra opened his eyes, to a view of pain. Wren stood over him, his face covered in a doll's mask. He fought to stay conscious yet felt like it was a losing battle. Wren kneeled above him, holding a syringe.

"As a Doctor I must say I am privileged. Having all this morphine at hand is a blessing in disguise. It's a good dose to knock you out and save me the trouble from dragging you around." His voice had been computerized and Ezra struggled to understand what he was saying. And then as he saw the syringe, his eyes widened in comprehension and he began to fight with the little amount of freedom he had. Using his head as his only weapon, he slammed it into Wren. Pain gripped him like a stabbing wound again, and he struggled to stay afloat. Satisfied, he watched as Wren clutched at his mask, roaring in anger.

"You little shit" Wren hissed as he struck Ezra across the face again. Then he grabbed his head and with summoned force and slammed it on the floorboard again. There was no fight left in Ezra. He surrendered to the darkness instantly.

"Perhaps we won't be needing morphine after all." Wren grinned to himself. He wiped Ezra's blood with a clean cloth and observed the blood that began staining the floorboards around his head.

"Great, now I have to clean up" He muttered. He rose from his position and then approached the camera propped on the tripod that stood fixed in front of Ezra's unconscious body. Wren unhooked the camera and then made his way to the beaten down couch. He opened up his laptop and then hastily uploaded the video. She will have to agree to the deal once she sees this, Wren thought smugly as he pressed send.

* * *

Aria's POV

Aria was sitting on her bed when a ping indicated she had a new email. Distractedly, she flipped open her laptop. In capital letters, she read:

PLANT INCRIMINATING PHOTOS OF EMILY STANDING OVER ALLISON'S EMPTY GRAVE IN HER CAR BOOT. OR ELSE, HE PAYS WITH HIS LIFE, - A

Terror gripped her as she clicked on the video file. _No,no,no,no,no _she kept chanting over and over in her head as the video sprang to life. Ezra was tied to a chair, his legs tightly fastened. His arms were cruelly bound behind him and she could see he was visibly uncomfortable. A long strip of silver duct tape was pressed over his lips, silencing him. Dry blood caked the corner of his forehead.

Tears begin to well up in Aria's eyes and one by one, they rolled down her cheeks, a silent mirror of her thoughts. A wave of nausea, as powerful as a tide swept over her and Aria placed a hand over her mouth in horror. She wanted to scream, to cry out, to say anything, but nothing would come out. She was hollow inside, empty to the core. She could only watch.

Ezra was looking straight at the camera, disoriented and confused. Fear clouded his Ocean blue eyes. And that was when a figure walked into the camera's line of vision, dressed in a black hoodie and a doll's mask. The first blow struck Ezra. His cry of pain was stifled by the tape. And then his captor struck him again. This time Ezra was knocked down. Aria gasped, as if all the oxygen had run out of her lungs.

Her tears blinded her, smudging her mascara. She could barely bring herself to watch the rest of the video. Sickened, Aria ran to the bathroom and spilled out the contents of her breakfast. Her legs shook uncontrollably as she kneeled down, gasping for breath through her sobs. When she was finished, she reached for the sink to wash off the vile taste in her mouth.

Pausing to look at herself, Aria knew she was a train wreck. Black mascara smudges streaked down her face. Her eyes were red and swollen from crying. Her hair was disheveled and her skin was three shades paler. Yet it was the deep panic that consumed her mind, her body, her heart. It was a life-threatening fear that overwhelmed her ability to think coherently.

_You must finish the video. For Ezra's sake, _she told herself shakily. Slowly and painfully, as if Aria had been struck, she returned to her bedroom. She closed the door behind her silently and walked up to her laptop. She took a deep breath, and with a shaking hand, pressed play.

A pool of blood was scattered around Ezra's head on the floorboard beneath him, and he was visibly unconscious. The masked figure was wiping his blood with a cloth and then walked directly in the camera's line of vision.

"You have 4 hours. The photos have been delivered to your front porch. If you tell anyone, Ezra pays. Tick tock, tick tock." The voice was computirized, making it impossible to identify Ezra's captor. The video froze, leaving Aria alone in the room.

And that was when Aria's first panic attack struck her. She gasped and gasped, gulping for air as her heart pace quickened, and her chest constricted. She collapsed from her chair and the room spun around her. She couldn't afford a meltdown now. Ezra needed her more than ever. A fresh wave of tears spilled down Aria's cheeks again. He was completely innocent, and yet he got dragged into A's same A who had killed Allison, Ian, and possibly Maya.

A was a savage monster. Aria didn't doubt for a second that Ezra's life was at serious risk.


End file.
